In the last two decades, Prof. Calabresi’s research has investigated the synaptic communication between the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia, focussing on corticostriatal synapses and their activity-dependent plasticity. In particular, Prof. Calabresi’s group has extensively investigated how corticostriatal communication depends on the activation of dopamine receptors and how it is affected by pathological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. The research group coordinated by Prof. Calabresi has been the first, in 1992, to describe a novel form of striatal synaptic plasticity, named long-term-depression (LTD). This vital feature of corticostriatal synapses has then be synaptic plasticity, named long-term-depression (LTD). This vital feature of corticostriatal synapses has then been fully characterised by Prof Calabresi’s group from a pharmacological and electrophysiological point of view.